[atnyia]

Hello Everyone,

I have upgraded to 175/70R13 and have been driving the car for last 15 days. There is a definite drop in mileage. I am getting 11 KMPL against 13 KMPL with AC on at all times now. Except for that, there is improvement all around, with respect to, handling, braking, cornering, & noise levels. Much smoother drive I would say and we do not feel many bumps as I used to feel with previous stock Tyre.

Details:
Car Model: Getz GL GVS 1.1
Previous Tyre: Goodyear (Stock) 155/80R13
New Tyre: Michelin XM2 175/70R13
Net Cost: 13800 with Wheel balancing and alignment.
Actual Cost: 17800 at 4450. Got 1000 for each used Tyre.

[gopa99]

Originally Posted by atnyia

Hello Everyone,

I have upgraded to 175/70R13 and have been driving the car for last 15 days. There is a definite drop in mileage. I am getting 11 KMPL against 13 KMPL with AC on at all times now. Except for that, there is improvement all around, with respect to, handling, braking, cornering, & noise levels. Much smoother drive I would say and we do not feel many bumps as I used to feel with previous stock Tyre.

Details:
Car Model: Getz GL GVS 1.1
Previous Tyre: Goodyear (Stock) 155/80R13
New Tyre: Michelin XM2 175/70R13
Net Cost: 13800 with Wheel balancing and alignment.
Actual Cost: 17800 at 4450. Got 1000 for each used Tyre.

Are you driving on alloys or on stock rims after the upgrade? and is it full tank to full tank method you used to measure mileage? 2 KMPL is a whole lot for this small upgrade.

[atnyia]

Originally Posted by gopa99

Are you driving on alloys or on stock rims after the upgrade? and is it full tank to full tank method you used to measure mileage? 2 KMPL is a whole lot for this small upgrade.

I am using stock steel rims as they were in good condition. Do alloys affect FE due to lesser weight?

Two points.
1) There is correction with respect to mileage. I have been guilty of jumping the gun and I had given estimated kmpl just before refueling. I have refueled yesterday and and below are the stats.
Fuel : 32.66 L at 69.5X in Gurgaon. Cost 2270.
Previous Fuel: 32.62 L at 69.9X in Gurgaon. Cost 2280.
KM Done: 424.0
Mileage: 424/32.66 = 12.98 kmpl.
Note: Detailed FE stats are OT here IMO, I still gave them to drive the point home.
2) How much error should this upsize have caused here WRT Odometer?

[sooshan]

Hi all,

I am Sudersan from Chennai, and this is my first post on Team-BHP.. I hope I am posting my query on the right thread!

I had recently gotten my first car, a 9 year old Getz Gl from a friend. The car, when inspected by a couple of mechanics here in chennai, was projected as on "ok" buy! Having purchased it for 75000/- i had spent close to 30000/- on the suspensions, lower arm, clutch set, and the regular oil change, oil and air filters (not cribbing here!)

Now, I have the tyre changes and body dent works waiting in line and that is where i am completely confused.! Having gone through a lot of threads here, i am quite undecided on which tyres are the best for the Getz, (the stock tyres are 155/70 R13). The car sports steel wheels and the car now has four Bridgestone B250s (tubeless) and one MRF (i think it is ZVTS, though not sure! tube type).

Since the car is already running tubeless, i assume i can go for new tubeless tyres!
As for the tyres, i had almost decided on B250s having read a few articles, talking to the mechanic etc..! But some posts here suggest that Bridgestones might not be the best choice (atleast that is what i thought when i read some posts). And, some seem to suggest Apollo accelere and Apollo 3g as good alternatives (disagreed by some of the tyre vendors i had spoken to!). The road conditions in my area are a mix of good tarred sections and literal minefields! I had also considered Yokohama A-Drives, but seeing some reviews on the side wall tears, i wonder if they would work well for the mine fields that i might have to drive around here!

Any thoughts on the confusion would be wonderful! Right now, my list of probables include B250 (i dont know if i should choose B290, since from a basic reading and scouting it seemed more of a tread pattern change than any new tech..! so, dont want to spend the premium on 290!), apollo accelere (a vendor told me production acceleres have been stopped and 3g/4g are the replacements). The other temptation of late is the Yokohama Earth 1

As for the tyre sizes, after a lot of temptation to go for wider ones, i have decided to stick to 155s and may be use the 4-5K i might save, on the body (dent+scratch removal) works!

Thanks in advance!

Sudersan

[RSR]

Originally Posted by sooshan

Hi all,

I am Sudersan from Chennai, and this is my first post on Team-BHP.. I hope I am posting my query on the right thread!

A hearty welcome to Team-BHP, Sudersan! This is indeed the right thread for your query.

I had recently gotten my first car, a 9 year old Getz Gl from a friend. The car, when inspected by a couple of mechanics here in chennai, was projected as on "ok" buy! Having purchased it for 75000/- i had spent close to 30000/- on the suspensions, lower arm, clutch set, and the regular oil change, oil and air filters (not cribbing here!)

Congratulations on your purchase! The Getz is a lovely car - very spacious, comfortable, practical, refined and has a powerful air-conditioner (I believe it's got a massive 150cc compressor), which is a big boon in the terrible heat, humidity, dust & pollution of Chennai.

75k rupees sounds a fair deal to me, more so since you know the owner well and are (presumably) aware of the manner in which it was generally driven.

Now, I have the tyre changes and body dent works waiting in line and that is where i am completely confused.! Having gone through a lot of threads here, i am quite undecided on which tyres are the best for the Getz, (the stock tyres are 155/70 R13). The car sports steel wheels and the car now has four Bridgestone B250s (tubeless) and one MRF (i think it is ZVTS, though not sure! tube type).

Since the car is already running tubeless, i assume i can go for new tubeless tyres!

I guess you meant 155/80R13, because the Getz came with stock sizes of 155/80R13, 175/70R13 and one more size which I don't remember. 155/70R13 happens to be the stock size on the Santro and some variants of the Eon.

Tubeless tyres are highly recommended! They are much safer as they don't lose air immediately & suddenly on picking up a small nail, and come with a peace of mind factor that is simply not available with tube-type tyres.

I suggest that you go for tubeless tyres only. The sole advantage of a tube-type tyre is that it can be used on a wheel rim that has bends on them. However, bends on steel rims can be fixed. Better still, you can get a new steel rim if an old one is in very bad shape. A new one should cost between 800 ~ 1200 rupees.

As for the tyres, i had almost decided on B250s having read a few articles, talking to the mechanic etc..! But some posts here suggest that Bridgestones might not be the best choice (atleast that is what i thought when i read some posts). And, some seem to suggest Apollo accelere and Apollo 3g as good alternatives (disagreed by some of the tyre vendors i had spoken to!). The road conditions in my area are a mix of good tarred sections and literal minefields! I had also considered Yokohama A-Drives, but seeing some reviews on the side wall tears, i wonder if they would work well for the mine fields that i might have to drive around here!

The Bridgestone B250s are average all-round tyres, but they are tough and withstand bad roads well. They would do fine as long as you don't expect great grip or cornering performance out of them.

Yokohama A-Drives are good on performance and low on noise, but they have soft sidewalls, which may be prone to damage. The Earth-1 is known to have tougher sidewalls and should be more suited to bad roads.

Any thoughts on the confusion would be wonderful! Right now, my list of probables include B250 (i dont know if i should choose B290, since from a basic reading and scouting it seemed more of a tread pattern change than any new tech..! so, dont want to spend the premium on 290!), apollo accelere (a vendor told me production acceleres have been stopped and 3g/4g are the replacements). The other temptation of late is the Yokohama Earth 1.

Bridgestone's B290 is the successor to the B250 (which is going to be phased out gradually). I'd prefer the newer B290 over the B250 as long as the price difference between the two is small.

Apollo's Acelere has been renamed as Alnac (but Alnac 4G is a different pattern). These are relatively soft compound tyres (along with Amazer 4G). They offer a more comfortable ride quality and good grip, but may not be as tough as the harder compound tyres (like the Bridgestone B250).

As for the tyre sizes, after a lot of temptation to go for wider ones, i have decided to stick to 155s and may be use the 4-5K i might save, on the body (dent+scratch removal) works!

Although it's narrow for the Getz, the stock 155/80R13 should do okay for normal city usage. One advantage of sticking to the stock size is that you can change them in pairs at your convenience (instead of changing four of them together).

If you hit the highway often, then an upsize to 175/70R13 is highly recommended. 155/80R13 may not be enough for a car as heavy and wide as the Getz on the highway. If your stock wheel rims are between 4.5" and 6" (both included) in width, you can mount 175/70R13 tyres on them safely.

I hope this helps.

[sooshan]

Originally Posted by RSR

A hearty welcome to Team-BHP, Sudersan! This is indeed the right thread for your query.

Thanks!!

I guess you meant 155/80R13, because the Getz came with stock sizes of 155/80R13, 175/70R13 and one more size which I don't remember. 155/70R13 happens to be the stock size on the Santro and some variants of the Eon.

Yes, i did imply the 155/80 R13.. My bad!!! Thanks for pointing it out!

Tubeless tyres are highly recommended! They are much safer as they don't lose air immediately & suddenly on picking up a small nail, and come with a peace of mind factor that is simply not available with tube-type tyres.

I suggest that you go for tubeless tyres only. The sole advantage of a tube-type tyre is that it can be used on a wheel rim that has bends on them. However, bends on steel rims can be fixed. Better still, you can get a new steel rim if an old one is in very bad shape. A new one should cost between 800 ~ 1200 rupees.

your reply has reinforced my thoughts on the tubeless tyres.. I shall get the rims checked out while at the tyre place! (yet to zero in on one, although!).

The Bridgestone B250s are average all-round tyres, but they are tough and withstand bad roads well. They would do fine as long as you don't expect great grip or cornering performance out of them.

Yokohama A-Drives are good on performance and low on noise, but they have soft sidewalls, which may be prone to damage. The Earth-1 is known to have tougher sidewalls and should be more suited to bad roads.

Bridgestone's B290 is the successor to the B250 (which is going to be phased out gradually). I'd prefer the newer B290 over the B250 as long as the price difference between the two is small.

Apollo's Acelere has been renamed as Alnac (but Alnac 4G is a different pattern). These are relatively soft compound tyres (along with Amazer 4G). They offer a more comfortable ride quality and good grip, but may not be as tough as the harder compound tyres (like the Bridgestone B250).

And, reading your comment, i think i had best stick to B250 (or B290 - depending on what price i get them each at!) since i live in madipakkam, and some of the roads on this part of the city is just a gravel stretch!

Although it's narrow for the Getz, the stock 155/80R13 should do okay for normal city usage. One advantage of sticking to the stock size is that you can change them in pairs at your convenience (instead of changing four of them together).

If you hit the highway often, then an upsize to 175/70R13 is highly recommended. 155/80R13 may not be enough for a car as heavy and wide as the Getz on the highway. If your stock wheel rims are between 4.5" and 6" (both included) in width, you can mount 175/70R13 tyres on them safely.

I hope this helps.

Well, this is my first car, and i am actually a newbie as far as driving is concerned as well!! So, i doubt the highway bit!!! :P
i am actually trying to learn things on the fly! so, that s the main reason for sticking to the stock tyres! but then, if i get a decent deal on 175s, i guess i cant resist the temptation to go in for that!

and, any idea on the price difference between 155 and 175 for bridgestone (B250/B290)??

Oh, and thanks for the detailed reply! It does help it sorting a few things out!

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by sooshan

As for the tyre sizes, after a lot of temptation to go for wider ones, i have decided to stick to 155s

I assume this Getz has the Alpha 1.3 litre engine, yes? If so this engine is absolutely fantastic to drive, it pulls exactly when required as long as you keep the revs at the right spot and shows very little strain at any point during city driving. In other words for a car of this size/weight this engine is ideal for a strain-free driving experience. Now let me get to my point.

Tyres, specially in India are amongst the least thought of parts of a car, i.e people fully do not understand how important they are. Your car however wide it may be, still stands on 4 spots about the size of a human palm. During everyday driving the car is tested to extremes in terms of having to brake on time, having to follow the path exactly as defined by the steering, having to ride over potholes without caving in & wet roads without the risk of aquaplaning. If you ask me 175 section would be absolutely essential for a car of this size & power. Let me state in advance that fuel economy will be a fraction % lower than if the car was on 155 section. The advantages will be firmer steering, much better grip during turns & potholes, and of course much better wet road grip during monsoons not to mention it compliments the wide profile of the car as well. Safety is always first, the body dents/scratches can always be attended to another day as its part & parcel of driving.

Of course I'm not saying that the wider the tyre the better, it just has to be right for that particular car for e.g 195 section for i20 is overkill given its state of tune (for diesel its about ok). Now the brands, this is the most confusing part so you really have to make up your mind & enquire closely with shops on the driving nature of each model before buying but in summary :

Softer compound silica infused tyres : Michelin/Continental/Yokos - good for rough roads but might be sensitive to potholes and could get damaged easier.

Traditional tyres tested for bad roads : Goodyear/Bridgestone - Goodyears are a gamble but some of their tyres have a ridiculously long life. Bridgestones have a good balance of handling/durability.

The entry level tyres of all these brands should be available at a reasonable price. Do know that the extra cost for 175's is well worth it.

[sooshan]

thanks dark knight, for the reply! yes, the car has a 1.3l engine (dont know if it is called apha, although..! pardon my ignorance here!).

and, i now see why the 175 s are better than the 155s..! I was not exactly worried about the FE as much as i was about the overall budget for the tyres..! Anyway, i think i shall go for the 175!! (the idea to stick to 155s was also influenced by the mechanic, who said, i quote, "why dress up the old lady in finer attire" (ofcourse in a tamil lingo!).. Anyway, that aside, i think i should stick to harder compound tyres, given the condition of some of the roads here and that i am just a beginner when it comes to cars!

Thanks anyway, for your insights!

[sooshan]

Hi all,

I have another query! How good is Falken sincera? I spoke to a dealer who says Falkens are good despite being a not so hard compound! and, he is also offering a 5 year warranty with the tyres, while there is no such offer on Bridgestone!

Also, he has quoted around 4000/- for 175s..!

So, any thoughts on Falkens?!

[gopa99]

Originally Posted by sooshan

thanks dark knight, for the reply! yes, the car has a 1d, i quote, "why dress up the old lady in finer attire" (ofcourse in a tamil lingo!).. Anyway,Thanks anyway, for your insights!

My 1.3 GLE Getz, which I am running for the last 7 years is on a 215 70 R14 tyres from Cobra. Though its much wider a stance than a common man would prefer, your mechanic will have to pull his words back once he sees the facade of my beauty (do check my gallery). Every minute in traffic, I get so many looks on my machine, that keeps me proud even today!
I get a FE of 12.5 in my daily office commute (Bangalore electronic city) and I drive with a light foot. Only until a year back, I had FFE's on this machine, and it perfectly complemented its looks and the Elephant Grip it offers on the roads, especially on sharp turns.
It is a great machine to own and perfectly hassle free. All the best

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by sooshan

thanks dark knight, for the reply! yes, the car has a 1.3l engine (dont know if it is called apha, although..! pardon my ignorance here!).

I have been using Michelin XM1 185/60/R14 on my Getz 1.3 GLX for the last 37000kms. The car came with stock Good Year (175/65/R14), which I used for 29000 kms. With the higher profile (185vs175), the difference in ground clearance is negligible with less side wall height (60vs65).

The difference in ride quality, stability and handling after changing to Michelin from stock tires was tremendous. I used to have regular punctures with the stock tube tires, where as I have had only one puncture after moving to Michelin. The better looks with a little wider tire is an added bonus.

I cannot comment on the difference you would face from 155 as I have not used it. But I think 155 is undersized for a 1.3L, heavy car like Getz. There would be a noticeable difference in stability and handling, and would recommend you to go for 175 or 185.

I will be changing tire in another 5k kms, most probably will go for Michelin XM2.

[sooshan]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

I have been using Michelin XM1 185/60/R14 on my Getz 1.3 GLX for the last 37000kms. The car came with stock Good Year (175/65/R14), which I used for 29000 kms. With the higher profile (185vs175), the difference in ground clearance is negligible with less side wall height (60vs65).

The difference in ride quality, stability and handling after changing to Michelin from stock tires was tremendous. I used to have regular punctures with the stock tube tires, where as I have had only one puncture after moving to Michelin. The better looks with a little wider tire is an added bonus.

I cannot comment on the difference you would face from 155 as I have not used it. But I think 155 is undersized for a 1.3L, heavy car like Getz. There would be a noticeable difference in stability and handling, and would recommend you to go for 175 or 185.

I will be changing tire in another 5k kms, most probably will go for Michelin XM2.

Hi,
I am considering 175s.. But havent quite made my mind on the brand! As for Michelins, i am skeptical since there are a couple of roads full of pot holes and just gravel in my area, something i would be traversing quite often! I wonder if a soft compound tyres ( which i think michelins are! ) would work well!

This was also the reason why i preferred not to go for A Drives as well..! And, when i looked up Earth 1, i happened to find out that they have only got 14"!

So, i guess i have to decide between B250, Apollo Amazer 4g and Falken Sincera (the tyre seemed good, but the side wall seemed a little supple, although the dealer swears it will hold out on a daily grind!!! fingers crossed!)

[sooshan]

Originally Posted by gopa99

My 1.3 GLE Getz, which I am running for the last 7 years is on a 215 70 R14 tyres from Cobra. Though its much wider a stance than a common man would prefer, your mechanic will have to pull his words back once he sees the facade of my beauty (do check my gallery). Every minute in traffic, I get so many looks on my machine, that keeps me proud even today!

No offense mate!
I guess my mechanic suggested sticking to 155s since i told him highway drives are as good as negligible, and the car is just a family car on city duty!

And, your car looks good with the wider tyres!! Just a little curious..! Doesnt the tyre scrape against the wheel well?

[RSR]

Originally Posted by sooshan

yes, the car has a 1.3l engine (dont know if it is called apha, although..! pardon my ignorance here!).

and, i now see why the 175 s are better than the 155s..! I was not exactly worried about the FE as much as i was about the overall budget for the tyres..! Anyway, i think i shall go for the 175!

Yes, it's best to go for 175/70R13 tyres as it's a 1.3-litre engine.

The 155/80R13 ones are barely enough for a smaller & lighter car like the 1.1-litre i10. Getz 1.3 deserves at least 175-section tyres.

The price difference between 155/80R13 tyres and 175/70R13 ones would be ~ ₹ 500 per tyre.

For an approximate indication of prices, you can check out a site like changemytyre.

Originally Posted by sooshan

Hi all,

I have another query! How good is Falken sincera? I spoke to a dealer who says Falkens are good despite being a not so hard compound! and, he is also offering a 5 year warranty with the tyres, while there is no such offer on Bridgestone!

Also, he has quoted around 4000/- for 175s..!

So, any thoughts on Falkens?!

Since Falken is a relatively new entrant into the Indian market, there aren't many reviews of the brand on Team-BHP. However, they do have a good reputation as a tyre brand and folks who're using Falken tyres seem to be happy with them. (I don't have any experience with Falkens, and therefore I can't comment on their characteristics).

[sooshan]

Thanks RSR..!
I shall go for 175s..!

On a side note, any members from Velachery/madipakkam area looking to change tyres, try avoiding XL tyre point! I went there to have a look, and the quite a few of the tyres he showed me were more than a year old.. around the 10 th week of last year!

and, he still has Bridgestone S322 in stock..! (if i heard/read right, werent B250 a replacement for S322 which was stopped?!?)